Method of degumming hydrocarbons



March 27, 1934. T. T. GRAY METHOD OF DEGUMMING HYDROCARBONS Filed 001:. 31, 1930 TTORNEYS I Patented Mar. 27, 1934- PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF DEGUMMING HYDROCARBONS Thomas T. Gray, Elizabeth, N. J assignor to The Gray Processes Corporation, Newark,,N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application October 31, 1930, Serial No. 492,482

Claims. (Cl. 196-96) This invention relates to the refining of hydrocarbons and has for an object a vapor phase method of degumming cracked hydrocarbons by contact with copper oxide.

Heretofore, the use of copper oxide for degumming cracked hydrocarbons has been limited to liquid phase treatment as vapor phase treatment was found to raise the gum content instead of decreasing it. According to the pres- .1 cut invention cracked hydrocarbons are de-- gummed by contacting the same in vapor phase with copper or copper oxide and the vapor thus treated is passed through a bubble tower in which the gum formed in the vapor is removed from the vapor by the reflux flowing through the tower. ,Preferably, copper oxide is used in combination with fullers earth so that the hydrocarbon vapors are completely refined. The fullers earth and copper oxide may be either mixed in a separate 0 bed or may be arranged in separate beds.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing in which is illustrated one form of. apparatus by means of which hydrocarbon vapors may be treated according to the invention.

Charging stock is supplied through the pipe 10 to the tube still 11 in which the stock is subjected to cracking temperatures and pressures, after.

- lighter fractions in vapor form are conducted from the bubble tower 13 through a pipe 15 to a treating tower 16. Within the treating tower 16 there is provided a funnel-shaped vapor permeable shelf 17 terminating in a discharge spout 18, controlled by a valve 19. This tower is provided with a charging manhole 20-and a layer of insulating material 21. A vapor outlet pipe 22 leads from the treating tower 16 at a point below the shelf 1'7 to a second bubble tower 23. A trapped drain pipe 24 leads from the bottom of the tower 26. A vapor outlet pipe 25 leads from the top of the bubble tower 23 to a condenser (not shown) and a trapped drain pipe 26 leads from the bottom of the bubble tower. The bubble towers 13 and 23 are provided with pipes 27 and 28 through which reflux liquid maybe introduced, if desired.

A body of treating material 29 is supported by the shelf 1'7 for free drainage. Preferably, this treating material comprises a mixture of fullers earth and .copper oxide but may also consist of superposed separate beds or layers of fullers earth and copper oxide or copper. Also, if desired, the treating material may consist merely of copper oxide or copper oxide mixed with copper.

A hydrocarbon fraction in vapor form is passed through the treating material 29, thereby forming gum in the fraction. The fraction is then removed from the treating tower in vapor phase and is led into the bubble tower 23, to which refluxing liquid may be supplied through the pipe 28 if desired. During the passage of the vaporized fraction through the bubble tower 23, the gum contained in the vaporized fractions is removed therefrom by the reflux liquid flowing downwardly through the bubble tower. Where fullers earth is used with the copper oxide, the unsaturated unstable compounds present in cracked gasoline are polymerized into compounds of higher boiling point which liquefy in the treating material and collect in the bottom of the tower. The liquids thus collected are removed through the pipe 24. The vapors leaving the bubble tower by way of the pipe 25 are free from unsaturated, unstable compounds by reason of the action of the fullers earth and are degummed by the combined action of the copper oxide and the reflux liquid in the bubble tower 23.

It is of course understood that the above description presents only one method of practicing the invention and that the cracked hydrocarbon vapors to be treated may be supplied from any suitable source, such for example as in a cracking or re-run unit of known type.

I claim:

1. The process of degumming cracked hydrocarbons which comprises increasing the gum content thereof by contacting the same in vapor phase with treating material containing copper and subsequently subjecting the treated vapors while containing gum in higher amount than prior to said contact with heating material and without any substantial reduction of the thereby increased gum content by counter-current contact with a stream of refluxed hydrocarbon distillate.

2. The process of degumming cracked hydrocarbons which comprises contacting said hydrocarbons in the vapor phase with treating material 3. The process of degumming cracked hydrocarbons which comprises contacting said hydrocarbons in the vapor phase with treating material containing copper oxide, thereby increasing the gum content of said hydrocarbons, and subjecting said hydrocarbons while containing gum in higher containing gum in higher amount than prior to said contact with treatingmaterial and without any substantial reduction of the thereby increased gum content to a reflux fractionation to remove gum therefrom.

5. The process oi degumming cracked hydrocarbons which comprises contacting said hydrocarbons in the vapor phase with treating material containing copper and copper oxide, thereby increasing the gum content of said hydrocarbons, and subjecting said hydrocarbons while containing gum in higher amount than prior to said contact with treating material and without any substantial reduction of the thereby increased gum content to a reflux fractionation to remove gum therefrom.

THOMAS 'li. GRAY. 

